Obturator for breech-loading guns



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. V. BENE-T. OBTURATOR FOR BRE'EGH LOADING GUNS. No. 466,320. v Patented Jan. 5, 1892.

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L. V. BENET.

. OBTURATOR FOR BREBGH LOADING GUNS. No. 466,320. Patented Jan. 5, 1892.

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. L. V. ET.

O BTURATOR POE BR LOADING GUNS.

N0. 466,320. Patented Jan. 5, 1892.

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UNITED STATES 9 PATENT ()FFICE.

LAURENCE v. BENET, OF PARIS, FRANon'AssmNo TO THE no'ronKIss ORDNANOE COMPANY, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND. i

OBTURATOR l-OR BRE'ECH-LOADING GUNS.

V SPEClFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 466,320, dated January 5, 1892. Application filed June 29, 1891. Serial No. 397,857. (No model.)' Patented in France August 28, 1891, No. 213,183.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAURENCE V. BnNr'ir, a citizen of the United States, residing at Paris,

France, have invented newand useful Improvements in Obturators for Breech-Loading Guns, (for which Letters Patent have been granted in France, No. 213,183, dated August 28, 1891,) of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a their application, as follows: first, thoseobturators which are permanently attached to the breech-block, thus being only inserted in place or removed by the action of opening or closin g the block; second, those obturators which are permanently attached to the bottom of the bore; third, those obturators which have no permanent attachment either to the breechblock or to the bottom of the bore, but are inserted and removed in the act of loading and after firing. In any obturator belonging to the first class it is impossible to adjust the ring, cup, or other form of joint-closing apparatus proper to its seat without first entirely closing the breech-block, nor can the adjusting apparatus or mechanism form a part of the obturator proper; but it must be an attachment of the breech-block. In any obturator belonging to the second class no adjusting mechanism whatever can be applied; but when adjustment becomes necessary it must be performed by independent instruments; nor in this class can the primer or vent form a part of the obturator, since the obturator must be an open ring in order to permit of loading through it. Nor in such an application can metallic cartridge-cases be used, for in order to use such cases the obturator must be removed, and since with all of this class it is necessary to have a seat cut in the bottom of the bore itself the removal of the obturatorleaves a vital part of the metallic case unsupported, except special means be taken to fill the seat. Inany obturator belonging to the third class-to which my inventionbelongsno attempt has hitherto been made to accomplish the objects forming the invention which I claim.

I make no claim whatever to any particular form of obturator, my invention consisting of a combination of certain elements with any form of obturator, the combination forminga device complete in itself; and to make this perfectly clear I have shown in the drawings hereto annexed my invention in combination with three different well-known obturators of the class described.

Figure 1 is a view in cross-section of a breech-loading gun with the breech closed and showing my invention applied to the well-known Freyre obturator and showing the obturator in place. Fig. 2 is a view of the same removed from the gun. Fig. 3 is a View in plan and in cross-section of the supportplate; Fig. 4, a similar view of the obturating-ring; Fig. 5, a similar view of the foreing-plate, and Fig. 6 a similar view of the adjusting attachment. Fig. 7 is a view of my invention as applied to the well-known De Bange obturator or gas-check, and Fig. 8 a view of the same as applied to the well-known Armstrong obturator or gas-check.

A is an obturating-ring, and B is a forcing-plate fitting within the ring, which, being forced to the rear by the pressure of the powder-gas in firing, wedges out the obturat- .ing-ring against the wall of the bore of the gun with sufficient force to cut off the escape of gas pastthe joint.

O is a support-plate similar in shape and object to the solid part of the head of a metallic cartridge-case, between which and the forcing-plate B the obturatingrring A is confined. The support-plate, with its obturatingring attached, is thus free for insertion into and removal from the bottom of thebore of the gun.

Vithin the support-plate O is arranged a device by which the obturator may be advjusted and its proper fit to its seat in the wall of the bore be regulated. As shown in the drawings hereunto appended and for the particular form of obturator therein exhibited, this device consists of the nut D, screwed to the end of the stem 1) of the forcing-plate B, which projects through an aperture in the support-plate (J, the nut D being seated in. a recess 0' in the latter. By setting up this nut D the forcing-plate B may be given an initial pressure against the obturating-ring, such as will suffice for the requirements of effectually checking the escape of gas when the initial gas-pressure is applied and of free and easy extraction when such initial pressure is removed. A central vent is out through the axis of the support-plate O and forcing-plate B, the rear part of which is so shaped as to form 'a seat for a primer or percussion-cap. This vent and primer-seat are shown at E in the particular type illustrated in the drawings.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The breech of the gun being open, let it be desired to give to the obturating-ring its proper preliminary adjustment. The combination is inserted into its seat and the adjusting-nut is tightened or loosened, as may be re quired,to give to the obturating-ringits proper initial expansion, which naturally must be such as will allow the combination to be readily removed or extracted, and at the same time will efiectually cut off the escape of gas when the powder-pressure is applied. The correct preliminary adjustment having been secured, (and in any good obturator once that is secured it should maintain itself for a great number of fires,) let the breech of the gun be open and the gun be loaded. A primer is inserted in the proper place and the combination is placed by hand in its seat, and the breech-block being closed the gun is ready for firing. After firing the breech is opened, and if it is provided with an extractor the act of opening the breech extracts the combination, leaving the bore clear for loading. If there be no extractor, then the combination is removed by hand. In either case,when the obturator is withdrawn the support-plate O is removed intact, and may at once be made ready for further use. The obturating-ring A may or may not be in condition to be used a second time, depending upon the material of which it is made.

It is to be specially remarked concerning this invention that, since the primer forms an attachment of the obturator, it is. impossible to fire the gun unless the obturator be in place. With any obturator alone belonging to this classification it would be possible to fire the gun without the obturator being in place. Again, in any. gun using any form of obturator, if it be desired to use metallic ammunition-cases in place of cartridge-bags the obturator must firstbe entirely removed, thus necessitating resort to other devices to complete the necessary changes to secure safety in firing. \Vith my device no alterations are required; but the gun may with perfect facility be fired alternate shots with cartridgebags and metallic cases without any intermediate work of alteration. This can only be accomplished by the use of my device or one similarto it.

In Figs. 1 and 7 I have shown the gas-check secured to the support-plate by its location between the support-plate and the forcingplate without any fixed attachment to either. When, however, a gas-check is used without an adjusting device, in order that the sup port-plate and gas-check may be inserted and removed together the latter is clamped or secured to the support plate in any suitable way. Thus in Fig. 8 the adjusting mechanism both serves as a clamp to hold the gascheck to the support-plate as well as to adjust it to the bore. I do not limit myself to any particular way of securing the ring or gas-checkin its relation to the other elements of the combination, provided always that it is capable of insertion and removal therewith.

It is obvious that I may dispense with the adjusting mechanism, and also that I may dispense with the primer, leaving or substituting a plain vent, so-long as I provide a suitable means of communicating the primerfiame to the charge without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. An obturating device adapted to fit into the bottom of the bore of a breech-loading gun and having its parts secured to each other, consisting of a support-plate provided with a device for communicating flame to the charge, and a gas-check secured to said plate, whereby the plate and the gas-check are inserted and removed together, substantially as described.

2. An obturating device adapted to fit into the bottom of the bore of a breech-loading gun and having its parts secured to each other, consisting of a support-plate provided with means for communicating flame to the charge, a gas-check secured to said plate, and adjusting mechanism secured to said plate for adjusting said gas-check, whereby the plate, gas-check, and adjusting mechanism are inserted and removed together, substantially as described.

The combination, with an obturating de vice adapted to fit into the bottom of the bore of a breech loading gun and having its parts secured to each other, consisting of a support-plate and a gas-check secured to said plate, of a primer located in said obturating device, whereby the support-plate, gas-check, and primer are inserted and removed together, substantially as described.

4:. The combination, with an obturating device adapted to fit into the bottom of the bore of a breech-loading gun and having its parts secured to each other, consisting of a supportplate, gas-check secured to said plate, and adj usting mechanism secured to said plate for adjusting said gas-check, of a primer located in said obturating device, whereby the support-plate, gas-check, adjusting mechanism, In testimony whereof I have hereunto set and primer are inserted and removed tomy hand in the presence of two subscribing IO gether, substantially as described. witnesses.

5. The combination of the support-plate C having the aperture 0 and the nut-seat c, the LAURENCE E gas-check A, the forcing-plate B, having the Witnesses: shank b, and the vent and seat E, and nut D, CHARLES KURT,

substantially as described. ALFRED CHRISTOPHE VER EY. 

